US8503153B2ActiveUtilityA1

Lightning protection sheet with patterned discriminator

74
Assignee: HEBERT LARRY SPriority: Apr 17, 2009Filed: Apr 15, 2010Granted: Aug 6, 2013
Est. expiryApr 17, 2029(~2.8 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Larry S. Hebert
B64C 1/12H02G 13/80B64D 45/02B64G 1/226H02G 13/00H05F 3/00
74
PatentIndex Score
5
Cited by
69
References
35
Claims

Abstract

A lightning protection system is provided, typically for use on an outer surface of an aircraft, which includes the use of a lightning protection sheet that includes an electrically conductive film and at least one patterned, electrically non-conductive discriminator layer.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
I claim: 
     
       1. A lightning protection sheet comprising an electrically conductive film having thickness t and an electrically non-conductive first discriminator layer having thickness T DL  over the electrically conductive film, wherein the first discriminator layer is patterned into a first plurality of ridge-and-trench features having a trench depth d of between 50% and 100% of T DL , additionally comprising an electrically non-conductive second discriminator layer covering portions of the first discriminator layer, wherein the second discriminator layer comprises a second plurality of ridge-and-trench features which are non-parallel with the first plurality of ridge-and-trench features. 
     
     
       2. The lightning protection sheet according to  claim 1  wherein the electrically non-conductive second discriminator layer comprises ionizable pigments. 
     
     
       3. The lightning protection sheet according to  claim 1  wherein the electrically non-conductive first discriminator layer comprises ionizable pigments. 
     
     
       4. The lightning protection sheet according to  claim 1  wherein t is between 0.001 and 100 microns. 
     
     
       5. The lightning protection sheet according to  claim 1  wherein t is between 0.01 and 10 microns. 
     
     
       6. The lightning protection sheet according to  claim 1  wherein d is between 6 microns and 1 mm. 
     
     
       7. The lightning protection sheet according to  claim 1  which contains an amount of electrically conductive material weighing less than 50 g/m 2 . 
     
     
       8. The lightning protection sheet according to  claim 1  additionally comprising a layer of ionizing paint. 
     
     
       9. A composite aircraft structure bearing the lightning protection sheet according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
       10. A lightning protection sheet comprising an electrically conductive film having thickness t and an electrically non-conductive first discriminator layer having thickness T DL  over the electrically conductive film, wherein the first discriminator layer is patterned into a first plurality of ridge-and-trench features having a trench depth d of between 50% and 100% of T DL , wherein the electrically conductive film comprises a third plurality of ridge-and-trench features which are non-parallel with the first plurality of ridge-and-trench features. 
     
     
       11. The lightning protection sheet according to  claim 10  wherein the electrically non-conductive first discriminator layer comprises ionizable pigments. 
     
     
       12. The lightning protection sheet according to  claim 10  wherein t is between 0.001 and 100 microns. 
     
     
       13. The lightning protection sheet according to  claim 10  wherein t is between 0.01 and 10 microns. 
     
     
       14. The lightning protection sheet according to  claim 10  wherein d is between 6 microns and 1 mm. 
     
     
       15. The lightning protection sheet according to  claim 10  which contains an amount of electrically conductive material weighing less than 50 g/m 2 . 
     
     
       16. The lightning protection sheet according to  claim 10  additionally comprising a layer of ionizing paint. 
     
     
       17. A composite aircraft structure bearing the lightning protection sheet according to  claim 10 . 
     
     
       18. A lightning protection sheet comprising an electrically conductive film having thickness t and an electrically non-conductive first discriminator layer having thickness T DL  over the electrically conductive film, where the first discriminator layer is patterned into a plurality of features selected from the group consisting valley features having a depth d of between 50% and 100% of T DL , ridge-and-trench features having a trench depth d of between 50% and 100% of T DL , or combinations thereof, additionally comprising an electrically non-conductive second discriminator layer covering portions of the first discriminator layer, where the first discriminator layer has a first dielectric breakdown strength and the second discriminator layer has a second dielectric breakdown strength that is less than 90% of the first dielectric breakdown strength. 
     
     
       19. The lightning protection sheet according to  claim 18  wherein the electrically non-conductive second discriminator layer comprises ionizable pigments. 
     
     
       20. The lightning protection sheet according to  claim 18  wherein the electrically non-conductive first discriminator layer comprises ionizable pigments. 
     
     
       21. The lightning protection sheet according to  claim 18  wherein t is between 0.001 and 100 microns. 
     
     
       22. The lightning protection sheet according to  claim 18  wherein t is between 0.01 and 10 microns. 
     
     
       23. The lightning protection sheet according to  claim 18  wherein d is between 6 microns and 1 mm. 
     
     
       24. The lightning protection sheet according to  claim 18  which contains an amount of electrically conductive material weighing less than 50 g/m 2 . 
     
     
       25. The lightning protection sheet according to  claim 18  additionally comprising a layer of ionizing paint. 
     
     
       26. A composite aircraft structure bearing the lightning protection sheet according to  claim 18 . 
     
     
       27. A lightning protection sheet comprising an electrically conductive film having thickness t and an electrically non-conductive first discriminator layer having thickness T DL  over the electrically conductive film, where the first discriminator layer comprises a first material having a first dielectric breakdown strength and particles of a second material having a second dielectric breakdown strength that is less than 90% of the first dielectric breakdown strength, where the average diameter of the particles is between 50% and 100% of T DL . 
     
     
       28. The lightning protection sheet according to  claim 27  wherein t is between 0.001 and 100 microns. 
     
     
       29. The lightning protection sheet according to  claim 27  wherein t is between 0.01 and 10 microns. 
     
     
       30. The lightning protection sheet according to  claim 27  wherein the average diameter of the particles is between 6 microns and 1 mm. 
     
     
       31. The lightning protection sheet according to  claim 27  which contains an amount of electrically conductive material weighing less than 50 g/m 2 . 
     
     
       32. The lightning protection sheet according to  claim 27  additionally comprising a layer of ionizing paint. 
     
     
       33. The lightning protection sheet according to  claim 27  wherein the electrically non-conductive first discriminator layer comprises ionizable pigments. 
     
     
       34. A composite aircraft structure bearing the lightning protection sheet according to  claim 27 . 
     
     
       35. A wind turbine generator structure bearing the lightning protection sheet according to  claim 27 .

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